Congratulations on your appointment as African Union Vice Chair.
A statesman, an international crisis manager, and an international diplomat par excellence.
By Maxwell Okamafo Addo
President John Dramani Mahama was recently elected First Vice Chairperson of the African Union (AU) as Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye formally assumes the rotating chairmanship for 2026.
The elections took place at the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As someone who believes in regional integration, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate him as he works closely with the AU Chair in coordinating the continental body’s activities and advancing its strategic priorities throughout 2026.
Ghana has historically played prominent roles in AU affairs, with former President John Kufuor having served as AU Chair in 2007. This appointment is well-deserved and a vindication of the trust and confidence reposed in him and in his programme of economic transformation by the Ghanaian people, which has seen Ghana recording strong economic growth rates and rapid infrastructural development in recent years.
I am hopeful that, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama as Vice Chair of the African Union, Ghana will continue to reinforce her position as one of the champions of progress and prosperity in West Africa and across the African continent. Africa looks forward to working closely with him to enhance AU relations, improve living conditions, advance mutual interests, and promote the wider interests of African peoples.
I have always described President John Dramani Mahama as a statesman, a crisis manager, and a gentleman that Africa needs. In the often turbulent and emotionally charged terrain of Ghanaian politics, where provocations are frequent and crises loom large, very few leaders have been able to balance power, responsibility, and composure the way John (JDM) Dramani Mahama has done.
His admirers describe him as Ghana’s number one political strategist, a team player, a technocrat, an astute administrator, a talent spotter, and nurturer. They give him credit for the recent massive economic improvement. He inherited a Ghana faced with a fractured polity, national security threats, and economic challenges, including skyrocketing cost of living. He has also served as ECOWAS Chairman, demonstrating his steady ascent in regional leadership.
From his earliest years in public service to his current role as a distinguished President of the Republic of Ghana, John has displayed an unusual temperament: calm, steady, and deliberate — traits that have come to define him not just as a politician, but as a statesman, a manager of crises, and a gentleman.
To call JDM a statesman is to recognise his capacity to rise above the immediacy of political squabbles, keeping his focus on the bigger picture of governance, development, and stability. His tenure as Vice President and President of the Republic of Ghana (2008–2016) was not devoid of challenges, political antagonism, and deliberate provocations.
Yet, through it all, John Dramani Mahama maintained a rare balance. He would act decisively where necessary but also retreat into calmness when passions threatened to escalate into chaos. His approach to leadership has always been grounded in diplomacy and consensus-building. Those who have interacted with him know that JDM, as he is fondly called, hardly raises his voice in public. Instead, he listens attentively, weighs situations carefully, and responds with measured calm — qualities that set him apart in a political culture often dominated by aggression and theatrics.
It is a consensus that Ghanaian politics thrives on provocations, often calculated to unsettle and destabilize opponents. Since joining politics, JDM has faced orchestrated campaigns of calumny, betrayals, and attempts to tarnish his legacy. Yet, rather than resort to rancor or bitterness, he has chosen the path of restraint and dignity.
This quality was visible not only during his presidency but also after he left office, when he was subjected to malicious investigations and controversies engineered by political opponents. While many in similar circumstances would have gone on the offensive, John Mahama maintained his composure, confident that truth and time would vindicate him. He stayed, faced the storm, and triumphed — a trait uncommon in most politicians, who often seek immunity to evade scrutiny. His ability to remain unflustered in the eye of political storms is one reason admirers call him not just a politician but a true gentleman.
As a sitting President “Ababio” representing the Republic of Ghana, JDM’s demeanor has remained consistent with his lifelong character. In a chamber often heated by divergent interests, the Bole-born politician has carried himself with a calm dignity that commands respect. His interventions are thoughtful rather than flamboyant, grounded in facts rather than noise. He does not chase headlines; instead, he contributes substance.
To many observers, this serenity might appear as indifference or passivity, but those who understand his style know that JDM is deliberate. He chooses his words carefully, ensuring that his contributions are constructive and solution-oriented rather than sensational. In many ways, his calmness as President has become an extension of his statesmanship — proof that maturity in politics is not about how loud one can be, but how wise and measured one’s contributions are.
Ironically, it is this same calmness that some have misjudged. In a political environment where aggressiveness is often mistaken for strength, John Mahama’s gentlemanly posture has been wrongly interpreted as weakness or detachment. Yet history has repeatedly shown that his calmness is not a lack of strength but a mark of restraint — the kind of self-control only true leaders possess. While others may be quick to quarrel or react emotionally, JDM embodies peace. His calmness is not silence; it is wisdom, maturity, and an understanding that true leadership sometimes requires holding back rather than lashing out.
To fully understand JDM’s personality, one must look at his background and upbringing. Born into a respectable family in Bole, the former Bole legislator was raised with the timeless Gonja values of integrity, patience, and humility. His parents instilled in him the virtues of hard work, respect for others, and self-discipline — qualities that would later define his public life.
It was no surprise, therefore, when at a remarkably young age, John Dramani Mahama was recognised by the late President Jerry John Rawlings as Deputy Minister and Minister. It was an honour and a source of hope for the youth. The conferment was not just ceremonial but symbolic: it was a recognition of future attributes rising from Assembly Man to President — a true son of Gonja culture, embodying honesty, respect, responsibility, and good character.
To be honoured once again as President of the Republic of Ghana at such an age was both an endorsement and a testimony to the gentlemanly virtues John Dramani Mahama has carried from his youth. This hardworking essence continues to shine through in his dealings with people across divides. Whether in government, business, or personal life, JDM has maintained a reputation for treating people with respect, honoring his word, and carrying himself with dignity.
It is this moral compass — anchored in Ghanaian values and nurtured from earliest days — that explains why he has remained calm, gracious, and unprovoked even in the face of adversity. John Dramani Mahama’s political journey offers a refreshing model of leadership anchored on calmness, maturity, and gentlemanliness. He is a statesman who understands the value of restraint, a crisis manager who chooses dialogue over chaos, and a gentleman whose character remains unblemished despite the roughness of Ghana’s political environment.
In celebrating his journey, one cannot ignore the deep influence of his upbringing, his recognition by Ghanaians across the globe, and his lifelong commitment to the Ghanaian ethos. In an age when politics is often defined by noise, aggression, and division, John Dramani Mahama stands as proof that true strength lies in calmness — and that the measure of a man is not how loud he speaks, but how dignified he remains when the storms of life rage around him.
About the Writer
Mr. Maxwell Okamafo Addo is a Ghanaian farmer, journalist, and social media influencer best known for his work in presidential reporting. He previously served as Media Aide to the late Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur and was a former organiser of the Presidential Press Corps under the late President John Evans Atta Mills. He has also worked as a presidential speechwriter within the sub-region.
Mr. Addo has participated in eight ECOWAS election observation missions, serving in leadership roles across West Africa. These include:
- Team Leader, Guinea Conakry Presidential Elections (2015)
- Team Leader, Togolese Presidential Elections (2015)
- Team Leader, Nigeria Presidential Elections (2015)
- Team Leader, AMI Ghana Presidential Elections (2020)
- Team Leader, Benin Presidential Elections (2021)
- Team Leader, Togo Legislative Elections (2024)
- Team Leader, Long-Term Nigeria Presidential/Legislative Elections in charge of Abuja FCT (2023)
- Lead Member, Preliminary Declaration Team Nigeria Elections Media (2023)
- Team Leader, Lagos Nigerian Governatorial Election – Governorship (2023)
A trained, experienced, and accredited long- and short-term election observer, Mr. Addo is also a forthright public commentator, widely known for his vocal style and often controversial political, social, and Christian perspectives.
